Iron County register., 1887-04-21

bill that could possibly be construed to
protect the snaoil shipper from discrina.
snation IN favor of the large shipper,
leaving it open for the railroads to
make lower rates and better terms ID
the persons or places that can ship In
large quantities, than to those who
from their location and surroundings
are compelled to ship In small qusnti.
ties. And this bill also carefully pro-
tects the cities, by providing that rates
may be different when shipments are
made In one direction than the other.
In other words there IL nothing In this
bill to prevent the making Of one rate
of toll or freight charges on outgoing
and another on incoming freights, -
the only Determinations provided
against is in SAME QUANTITY, SAME.
DIRECTION, SAME NUMBERS. &c., bus
l was met by the argument that while
rny objections might he well founded,
yet we should support this till and de-
pend on the future to give the country,
the small shipper, the producer and
farmer the protection they needed.
While it is certainly true that VS.
cannot at once obtain law that will
be perfect In all its working machinery,
yet know that ii you enact law that
suits the cities and the great trade
centres, however unjust to the country,
the small towns and the people, the
railroads and the city can, by combina-
ton, prevent its repeal or even modi-
fication, And who among US is simple
enough to believe that the great trade
centres will not combine with the rail-
roads for the purpose of fastening the
shackles on the trade of the country,
and make it tributary to themselves?
Great combinations, whether they
be railroad companies, cities, great cor.
porations, or vast aggregations of cap
ital and influence, are alike every
where, and are always ready to use
their power to destroy opposition, OPP
press their patrons. burden trade, or
impose upon the weak and less power
full; in fact, the end and purpose Of
these combinations is to bring their In
creased power to bear for their own ag-
grandizement. Consequently, it will
be we'll for US dispassionately and care
fully to examine all proposed railroad
legislation in the light of reason and
good business sense, from the stand
point of our own interest: I. e., the in
terest of the country merchant, manu-
facturer, farmer, purchaser, and the
small shippers, and not allow ourselves
to be carried away by our prejudice
against the railroads and other corpor-
ations. All such legislation should be
uniform, gen eral, just, and such ~ cam
not be invoked to justify or make pos
sible discrimination In favor Of the cities
and trade centres and against the small
shippers and less favored portions Of
our State. Such discrimination, In case
of q combination of the great cities and
and the railroads against the interests
of the country, might reduce us to
more CALLING servitude, and subject US
to greater isadvantages, than we now
labor under.
Allow me again to reiterate that
am in favor Of such legitimate, just
and equal legislation as will enforce
and carry into active operation the
constitution of our State, for the coun-
try, the small towns, as well 40 the
large cities and the railroads, and
expect at the coming Special Session to
use every means In my power to obtain
said legislation, but do not expect to
favor any and every thing that may bs
simply, because 1t is sgainst
tae railroads, without being fully satis-
fled that it is for the best interest Of
our great State, and especially Of the
24th Senatorial District. In the mean
time. as Special Session of the Gener-
al Assembly has been called for the
purpose of 'enacting laws to regulate
transportation, I hope the
question will be thoroughly discussed
and well understood, SO that whatever
is done at that session may be in the
Interest of justice, right, and for the
whole people, and not some favored
parties or sections.
J. PERRY JOHNSON.
A Lady's Remarkable Testimony.
"a fh0 .syffo ~ 10